


You Know That, Right?

by Wolfcry22



Series: Shame [21]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Awesome Bobby Singer, Bobby Singer is Dean and Sam Winchester's Parent, Bobby Singer is So Done, Bobby Singer's House, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotionally Hurt Sam Winchester, Gen, John Winchester Bashing, John Winchester Being an Asshole, Parental Bobby Singer, Pre-Series Sam Winchester, Protective Bobby Singer, Sad Sam Winchester, Worried Bobby Singer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-24
Updated: 2020-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:42:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27702239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfcry22/pseuds/Wolfcry22
Summary: Bobby has a talk with Sam about John and how they got to be where they are (Based on a scene from the TV show Shameless)
Series: Shame [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1883236
Kudos: 30





	You Know That, Right?

**Author's Note:**

> This is going to be another shorter story from an episode of Shameless from season 3 episode 10 where Shelia is talking to Debbie about Monica. It’s one of my favorite heart-to-heart scenes in the show, especially because I really enjoyed Shelia’s character. I thought she was kind and I could see Bobby giving Sam about the same speech when it comes to John. I hope that you guys enjoy.
> 
> Warning for language and possible triggering themes.

Sam dropped off his backpack right inside the front door of Bobby’s house. A loud sigh left him as he drug himself over to the fridge and swung it open. He immediately locked eyes on a soda and pulled it out, already unscrewing the cap. He had already taken a few greedy gulps when he heard the sound of throat clearing from behind him. Sam nearly jumped as he turned to see Bobby looking at him rather intently. 

“And what do you think you’re doing, son,” Bobby questioned.

Sam looked down guiltily to the bottle of soda in his hands. He tucked it behind him and gave his head a shake. “I was just thirsty.”

“There is water in this place, you know.”

“I know.” Sam’s voice turned even more sullen than usual and his body stiffened as he prepared for the physical or verbal berate that he was sure to experience for breaking one of Bobby’s rules about no soda until dinnertime. 

Bobby’s eyes softened when he saw Sam flinch, knowing that look all too well. “Tell you want: I won’t tell your brother if you get me a beer from the back middle shelf.”

Sam brightened and turned to swing the fridge open again. He grabbed two beers by the neck, knowing that Bobby rarely stopped after just one. Sam was just relieved that Bobby didn’t often drink to get drunk or blackout in the same way that John always did. That was part of the reason that Sam and Dean spent so much time at Bobby’s, at least when John didn’t feel the need to drag them with him.

“Here you go,” Sam offered cheerfully as he set the bottles on the small dining room table.

Bobby slid in and motioned to the chair across the table. “Care to join me?”

Sam plopped himself down and lifted the bottle back to his lips. It was then that Bobby reached out a hand and caught Sam by the wrist. Sam jerked back in shock, breath catching in his lungs when he looked down to his wrist where Bobby had grabbed him.

“What the hell is that,” Bobby asked, finger pointing toward his bloodied knuckles.

Sam looked down to them before shrugging. “S’nothing. Just hit my hand on my locker trying to open it.”

Bobby was sure that wasn’t even possible with the extensive injury to Sam’s fist, but he wasn’t about to press it. Sam was learning from the best how to be secretive and not make waves. Winchesters took care of things on their own, which would make sense as to Dean’s philosophy on life. It frustrated Bobby to no end, but he could only offer so much help on the matter.

“You have homework,” Bobby questioned. 

Sam shrugged. “Did it already in study hall. It wasn’t hard.”

“Smart kid.”

Sam gave a wicked grin at Bobby’s comment. It wasn’t like John was ever there to shell out praise, so he had to soak it up when he could.

Bobby quickly popped off the bottle cap and downed half the bottle of beer in one go. “Sammy, listen. I.....I need to talk to you about something.”

Sam could by the tone of Bobby’s voice that it was serious. Apprehension twisted in his stomach as he picked at the cuticle of his nails with the nails on his opposite hand. His face twisted in fear, unwilling to even look at Bobby’s direction for fear of what the man that was like an uncle may say to him.

“Talk to me about what,” Sam croaked.

Bobby sighed once more, eyes closing slightly. “Your father and I had a bit of a falling out.”

“Falling out,” Sam echoed. “About what?”

“I......” Bobby trailed off and gave his head a shake before continuing. “I got into an argument with your father about you and your brother.”

Sam instinctively stiffened and pulled his hands from the table. Had he done something wrong that Bobby had to call John about? Had Dean? He knew that Dean had been staying out later and later lately, but he didn’t think that it was anything really to worry about as long as Dean was careful.

“It’s not about anything you did,” Bobby continued on quickly when he saw the look of horror on Sam’s face. “I just told him that he needed to be a father instead of a fucking hunter all the time.”

Sam gave a wry smile. For as long as he had been alive he had only known his father as a hunter. In fact, he had always been a hunter first, a drunk second, and a father third. It just wasn’t high on his priorities to care for his son.

“But you’re not wrong,” Sam murmured against his chest. 

Bobby let out a long sigh that turned into a slight cough. “Yeah, well, your father accused me of being a drunk just like......” Bobby trailed off, unable to finish the thought. That monster didn’t deserve to have his name spoken out loud. “Anyway, yeah I drink more than I probably should and live a more secluded lifestyle, but I’m not a bad guardian to you and Dean. That part just isn’t true and that much I know for sure.”

Bobby wasn’t sure why he was spilling his thoughts to the 11 year old sitting across the table from him, who just came home from school and wanted a soda and that was it. Yet when he looked into Sam’s deep brown eyes that had seen so much pain, he couldn’t ignore it. He had to know what his father had said and accused him of to know that whatever happened, Bobby hadn’t let it happen without a fight. H head fought for Dean and Sam in a way that no one ever had. The school didn’t give a shit about John’s antics, clearly, especially because they kept moving from school to school. Bobby was the only stability that they had and the only one that was going to stand up to John. If he didn’t do it, he feared that something awful would happen to either brother and he would be left with the guilt of knowing he just let them go.

“Bobby,” Sam questioned after a moment while looking up to Bobby.

Bobby leaned slightly forward with his beer bottles pushed back. “Yeah, kid?”

“I’ve seen drunk and I’ve seen bad for kids, and you’re none of those things.” He went back to picking at his nails as if embarrassed of the words that were coming out of his mouth. “You’re nice, and help me with my homework, and let me stay up late on the weekends reading. You even let Dean go to movies and help fix cars you have around here and I know he likes that. You’re a good person, Uncle Bobby.”

Bobby looked aside, feeling tears prick at the corner of his eyes. He was quick to brush them away with a thumb. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes, kid.”

“Then say that you’re sorry,” Sam suggested. That always seemed to work when he messed up with Dean and his big brother always forgave him.

“I don’t know that I can—“

“Because I know that if Dad came back and said he was sorry and actually stayed, and quit drinking, I’d forgive him.” Sam played with bottle in front of him, feeling the condensation seep under his nails. “I’d forgive him for everything because he’s my dad.”

Bobby was utterly dumbfounded for a moment that Sam would confess all that. He had known that out of the two of them, Sam was always a lot more forgiving of John. Bobby guessed that it was because he was younger than Dean and still had that reverence in his eyes when he looked to his father. He didn’t see all the behind the scenes stuff that Dean tried to hide for his brother even now. It left Dean with a bitter taste in his mouth and Sam craving for it to be better. That was a difference between the brothers that was interesting to detect.

In one of Bobby’s more fatherly moments he reached over the table and nudged Sam’s hand to gain his attention. “I’m so sorry about what you daddy has done and how he is, but you know it’s not your fault, right? You know that, don’t you?”

Suddenly, Sam jumped from his seat and rushed over to Bobby. He wrapped his arms around Bobby’s neck and buried his head into the older man’s shoulder. Bobby sat rigid for a moment, unsure what he was supposed to do. Physical affection was not his thing in the slightest, but he didn’t want to ruin the moment. 

His instinct kicked in and he wrapped his arms around Sam. He felt Sam quiver as he sobbed into his shoulder silently. Dampness spread through Bobby’s shirt, but he didn’t care. He let out a long breath and continued to hold Sam close.

“It’s alright, son. It’s going to be okay. I promise that things will always be okay.”

**Author's Note:**

> This was nice to right a fluff heavy piece instead of always just angst. I hope that you all enjoy and are staying safe and healthy!


End file.
